Question
Will treatment work? My partner has a CD4 count of 118…
19 June 2010. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Side effects, Starting treatment, Support.
Me and my boyfriend were both diagnosed laster year.. We have both struggled to come to terms with our diagnosis, but are coping in our own way..
My bf’s last result showed a CD4 count of 118. Does this automatically assume he has AIDS? Even without any signs of opportunistic infections and general health being pretty good?
We will both be starting treatment within the next few weeks. How hard is it coping with treatment? We are told we will most likely be on one pill a day.
Is treatment manageable and how quickly can we expect a rise in our CD4 counts?
What is the liklihood of death with a CD4 count of 118 please help, as this is extremely worrying at this time. :(
Answer
Hi
Thanks for your question and for letting us post the answer online.
It is still difficult to come to term with an HIV diagnosis, and this is an ongoing process that takes time. It is good that you can both support each other through this.
The difference in being HIV-positive and an AIDS diagnosis is largely historical. It was used before there was effective treatment when you only went in one direction. In the US, a CD4 count under 200 is considered AIDS, because of the classification system in that country.
Now that treatment reverses some of the immune damage and increases your CD4 count this is less important.
Treatment is easy and manageable for most people and there are lots of alternative drugs if you need to modify your first combination for any reason. Read the i-Base Introduction to combination therapy for more information, including the sections on adherence, resistance and side effects with main first-line combinations.
The once-daily pill you refer two, should be prescribed as two separate pills for the first three months before you use the 3-in-1 formulation. This includes the drug efavirenz.
Good luck, and pls get back if you have other questions.
I started treated of my HIV+ with combination HAART (Tenofovir DF + Lamivudine + Efavirenz) with a CD count of 253. Also added to the drug was Antibiotics CHITRIM 960 and Immune booster Ginsomin. Hope there will be great a great improvement shortly. And what side effects of these medications will i be expecting? I started having few rashes after few days of starting taking these drugs, but clear off over 2 weeks.
What are my expectations with this drugs over the years. Thanks.
Hi Titi,
How much weight have you lost and over what period of time?
I’m getting too lean despite all the treatments, this gets me depressed and scared, my doctor said my cd4 has improved greatly but how can i get my weight back
HIV drugs are only available from a doctor. They have to be prescribed. i-Base only provides information. We are not doctors and don’t provide treatment or money for treatment.
This Introduction to Combination Therapy answers lots fo questions about treatment.
http://i-base.info/guides/starting
Different drugs are used depending on where in the world you receive treatment.
These links to section in the guide have information on drugs used in the UK.
What is the best combination?
Main types of HIV drugs
HIV life cycle – how drugs work in different ways
First combination
Pls i need to know the names of the pills to take so that my cd4 count will come back to normal. Pls send medicine to buy so i go to the chemist and buy them. I’ll be happy if i get help about this.
Hi, this is something that you need to discuss with your doctor. I don’t understand your description of dehydration. Is this related to difficulty retaining fluid, for example because of severe diarrhoea? I am sorry that I don’t have information to help. Please ask these questions to your doctor who should be able to explain the answers based on your individual treatment and history.
I was diagnosed few years back, with cd4 count of 625, I’ve been having serious dehydration, that comes withh dizziness, blurred vision, and a cd4 count of 274, my doctor now placed me on lamuvudine, zidovudine and nevirapine combination, with cotrim 960 mg daily. My doctor says the constant dehydration is as a result of low immune system, and placed me on pyridoxine 50 mg, calcimax, but this dehydration still occurs at least once in 10 days, and it gets me really scared. I just want to know if this dehydration can kill, because I live in Nigeria and access to health care is really poor.
Thank you for your question.
It is ok that you did not take the separate pills before you started the fixed dose combination, Atripla. Some doctors like to prescribe the drugs separately to begin with as side effects are quite common with the efavirenz and this way if someone experiences serious side effects the efavirenz can be easily stopped and changed whilst the other 2 drugs are continued.
Not all doctors start patients on separate tablets. There is nothing wrong with you taking Atripla straight away. If you are managing fine with the Atripla then there is no problem you starting with that at all.
I hope you don’t mind me asking a question in connection to your answer above.
I have being taking Atripla (I’m persuming that that is the 3 in 1 drug refered to above) since I was first put on medication (11 weeks now). I was never on a course of two separate pills a day at the start. Is this ok? Why would my doctor put me on Atripla straight away if there should be a lead in period of taking drugs separately before going on it? If I’ve gotten the drug wrong, please excuse this mail.
Thanks for your help.
Good luck with the treatment. I am sure your boyfriend’s CD4 will rise but may take a while longer. I was diagnosed late in October 2007 with a CD4 count of 03. I am still here almost 3yrs later and my CD4 has never gone above 140 on treatment with no serious opportunistic infections, so you could say I am an example and living proof that a low CD4 count doesn’t mean death, it just means you have to be more aware of your health, take things more easy and look after yourself. Yes, the side effects of meds can be hard to tolerate, but sure if you adhere and persevere you’ll be ok.